New South Wales, Australia
Australian Bushfire Relief
June 2021 – October 2021
AH&H provided critical support to bushfire-affected communities in New South Wales, Australia. Volunteers helped clear debris, rebuild community structures and restore hope after the devastating 2019–2020 fires.
Disaster Profile
Approximately 3,102 homes destroyed, including over 2,300 homes in New South Wales.
Bushfires began in Australia in August 2019 and in early November they spread throughout New South Wales (NSW) due to high temperatures and prolonged drought. In early December 2019, the fires spread to Victoria, Western Australia, South Australia and, in early January 2020, to the Australian Capital Territory. The fires burned over 27 million acres across Australia, with approximately 3,102 homes destroyed, including over 2,300 homes in New South Wales.
Our Response
In June 2021, All Hands & Hearts launched an Australia Bushfire Relief Program to help the communities of New South Wales.
In 2019, our Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) completed in-depth, ground assessments of two areas of South Australia and found a crucial need on Kangaroo Island. Unfortunately, the program could not open due to COVID-19. In early 2021, following our COVID-19 operational suspension, we started a new process to re-assess the need on Kangaroo Island and other regions. The assessment identified that recovery in Kangaroo Island had advanced considerably during the program suspension and no longer needed our assistance. At the same time, we re-assessed southern New South Wales, the worst affected region. The bushfires had devastated the Bega Valley Shire, wiping out livelihoods and destroying many homes. It was clear that within this region there was still a clear need where All Hands & Hearts could assist.
In June 2021, All Hands & Hearts launched an Australia Bushfire Relief Program to help the communities of New South Wales recover from the devastation of the widespread bushfires. Our work in Bega Shire focused on the urgent need for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WaSH) on landowners’ properties. This project ensured fire-affected families and individuals have basic WaSH on their properties, consisting of a water tank, a bathroom with a septic tank, and a shed for water catchment, storage and to contain the bathrooms. Working with our trained staff and alongside local community members, our team also worked on internal cladding and fit-out of homes, installing water tanks and completing various construction tasks around the properties.
